RJ Young’s Ultimate 134 vs. AP Top 25: Alabama gets the ‘Saban bounce’-ZoomTech News

With the daybreak of a brand new period of faculty soccer that features the addition of recent groups to the 4 main conferences (ACC, Massive Ten, Massive 12 and SEC) — the collapse of one other (Pac-12) — and the primary yr of the prolonged 12-team Faculty Soccer Playoff, rankings have taken on new that means.

Voters are not the only real arbiters of who’s and who is not a nationwide champion. Neither is the now decade-old establishment often known as the CFP Choice Committee. Now, not less than 4 spots within the 12-team playoff shall be determined by a convention championship, whereas the remaining eight shall be determined based on a rating.

[Related: 2024 college football rankings: RJ Young’s Ultimate 134]

So, with that mentioned, it’s becoming that Related Press ballot voters agree with me about who ought to start the season because the top-four groups within the nation. These 4 groups – Ohio State, Georgia, Texas and Oregon – additionally symbolize the 2 strongest conferences within the nation. Whereas we disagree on the order, they normally catch as much as me. Final yr, I ranked Michigan because the No. 1 workforce within the sport after Week 5 — 9 weeks earlier than AP voters and CFP Choice Committee members lastly determined to observe swimsuit. And the Wolverines received the nationwide title.

So, after these top-four packages, the place do my Final 134 Rankings differ from the AP High 25 rankings?

I consider Florida State and LSU are underrated within the AP’s preseason ballot, whereas Notre Dame and Alabama are overrated.

I ranked Florida State at No. 5 and Clemson at No. 19, whereas the AP ranked FSU at No. 10 and Clemson at No. 14. I count on Clemson to lose its season-opener in opposition to Georgia. Kirby Sensible’s Dawgs have seen a Garrett Riley offense earlier than, and so they held it to at least one rating within the worst bowl beating in historical past — a 65-7 nationwide title beatdown when Riley was the reigning Broyles Award winner at Texas Christian.

A loss for Georgia, although, would upend each of our rankings. For the AP, that may be their preseason No. 1-ranked workforce falling to a workforce that is not anticipated to win their convention title, given FSU is ranked forward of Clemson for each of us.

In the meantime, Kalen DeBoer obtained the Nick Saban bump at Alabama, without having to be Saban. Since 2009, Alabama has at all times been ranked excessive getting into the season. And the Crimson Tide would at all times make us proper by the tip of the season. However that was largely about Saban and the significance head coaches maintain in our sport. In an period marked by change, he and only a handful of others have acted as anchors. 

DeBoer coached Washington to a nationwide title look and has received 104 of 116 video games he is served as a head coach in, courting again to 2005. There is not any doubt that he’s a winner. There may be doubt, from me not less than, that his workforce shall be ok to safe an at-large bid to the playoff.

Packages in Alabama’s convention, together with Texas, LSU and Ole Miss, may find yourself with a greater résumé than DeBoer’s Crimson Tide workforce in the event that they have been to lose to Wisconsin on the street in Week 3, or if they do not look to be in the identical class as Georgia when the 2 powerhouse packages conflict in Week 5.

Now, let’s be clear: I did not rank Alabama a lot decrease than the AP. I ranked the Crimson Tide at No. 9. I merely wish to see extra earlier than I rank them forward of packages like LSU, which I ranked No. 7 — six spots forward of the place the AP has the Tigers.

LSU has a quarterback in Garrett Nussmeier, who I consider can sling it. The rationale he is not being talked about the best way Miller Moss is at USC might need extra to do with Mike Denbrock defecting to Notre Dame relatively than Nussmeier’s sport. Moss will get the Lincoln Riley bump, which is critical seeing that 4 of the final 5 QBs to start out for Riley have completed the season as Heisman finalists. However a win in opposition to USC at a impartial website may present not simply the prowess of LSU, however of the SEC when the time comes at hand out at-large bids for the CFP. If LSU can preserve a lid on the tip zone — a substantial job in opposition to Riley — the AP would possibly catch as much as me earlier than Halloween.

Notre Dame at No. 7 seems loads like wishful pondering. The wager on the Combating Irish is about combining two individuals — Denbrock and Riley Leonard — who’ve been good individually and believing that, collectively, they’ll lead Notre Dame to greatness. In my Monique voice, I want to see it. The Combating Irish are being positioned because the highest-ranked workforce outdoors an computerized qualifying spot, as they refuse to hitch a convention and have by no means been made to pay a aggressive tax for it.

For me, Notre Dame ranks as a high 25 program. The Combating Irish should beat Texas A&M of their season-opener and will not face a preseason high 25 workforce till Nov. 9, after they welcome Florida State to South Bend. Something wanting an undefeated season should work in opposition to Notre Dame as a result of it will not play for a convention title. A one-loss Notre Dame workforce could possibly be on the bubble. Two losses for Notre Dame can be catastrophic.

RJ Younger is a nationwide faculty soccer author and analyst for FOX Sports activities and the host of the podcast “The Number One College Football Show.” Observe him at @RJ_Young and subscribe to “The RJ Young Show” on YouTube.

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